Easthampstead
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Easthampstead is today a southern suburb of the town of Bracknell in the English county of Berkshire, although the old village can still be easily identified around the church of SS Michael and Mary Magdalene. This beautiful building houses some of the finest stained glass works of Sir Edward Burne-Jones.
[edit] History
In Easthampstead there is evidence of local Bronze Age existence in the form of a large round barrow on the top of Bill Hill. The hill itself is also surrounded by an ancient ditch, which has largely been filled in. Bill Hill now forms part of a park next to Downshire Way and it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Originally Easthampstead was an important parish in Windsor Forest, its manor house at Easthampstead Park being a popular hunting lodge with the Royal Family. Another large and important house in the old parish is South Hill Park, one time home of Prime Minister George Canning. Still older is Caesar's Camp, the only Iron Age hill fort in East Berkshire.
Easthampstead once had its own Rural District, but it is no longer even a civil parish. Much of the southern portion of the old parish has been given to adjoining Crowthorne.
[edit] Sport and leisure
Easthampstead also sports some of Bracknells more interesting features such as the Bracknell Sports and Lesiure centre. The centre is an important part of Bracknell bringing people from around the county into the area to support local services and infastructure.
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